Take The High Road
The Official Magazine Britain|Britain 2021 Guide
The North Coast 500 is an epic route that takes you past some of the country’s most spellbinding scenery
Helen Ochyra
Take The High Road

Few places can rival northern Scotland for dramatic coastal scenery. Here powdery white sands run for miles between crashing ocean and windswept dune, and towering cliffs of ancient, darkest stone surround inlets so sheltered their waters appear as unrumpled as a sheet of glass. In wee stone harbours up and down the coast, seals gather and otters hide, while offshore amid the waves you’ll find playful pods of bottlenose dolphins and large colonies of puffins and gannets.

With such abundance, though, comes the greatest indecision. Unfurl a map of Scotland on your kitchen table and the challenge begins – how can you sort the unmissable from the leave-until-next-time? How much is realistic in a one-week break? And how will you navigate your way from loch to loch, up mountain, and down glen?

In 2015, the North Highland Initiative stepped forward with the answer – the North Coast 500. This is Scotland’s Route 66, an epic yet easily digestible road trip of some 500 miles around the far north coast of Britain. It runs in a loop from Inverness – the city that has long been the gateway to the Highlands – and can be completed in a week or so.

The route is best done anti-clockwise, whizzing up the less dramatic east coast before slowing down to linger amid the sea lochs and mountains of Scotland’s far northwest.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Britain 2021 Guide-Ausgabe von The Official Magazine Britain.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Britain 2021 Guide-Ausgabe von The Official Magazine Britain.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE BRITAINAlle anzeigen
Take The High Road
The Official Magazine Britain

Take The High Road

The North Coast 500 is an epic route that takes you past some of the country’s most spellbinding scenery

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Britain 2021 Guide
Where To Stay In 2021
The Official Magazine Britain

Where To Stay In 2021

Whether it’s a country house escape, a rustic bolthole or a sophisticated city stay, you’ll find your perfect getaway on these pages

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
Britain 2021 Guide
The EMPEROR'S ISLE
The Official Magazine Britain

The EMPEROR'S ISLE

Tresco was once a treeless and windswept island, the haunt of smugglers. Dramatically transformed by one man’s vision, it is now one of Britain’s most beautiful spots

time-read
6 Minuten  |
Britain 2021 Guide
Hidden Cornwall
The Official Magazine Britain

Hidden Cornwall

Discover the beautiful, beguiling and rugged land of West Penwith in the far reaches of Cornwall

time-read
6 Minuten  |
Britain 2021 Guide
Wonders of Wales
The Official Magazine Britain

Wonders of Wales

With its wild cliffs, pretty coves and puffins galore, St Brides Bay holds the best of Pembrokeshire

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Britain 2021 Guide
Yorkshire's MOORS & SHORES
The Official Magazine Britain

Yorkshire's MOORS & SHORES

Equal parts mystical moor and secluded seashore, the Yorkshire coast beats some of Britain’s more traditional summer destinations hands down

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Britain 2021 Guide
PEAK PERFORMANCE
The Official Magazine Britain

PEAK PERFORMANCE

From heathery moors to rolling hills and underground caverns, the Peak District is home to some of the most majestic landscapes in the country

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Britain 2021 Guide
Culture CAPITAL
The Official Magazine Britain

Culture CAPITAL

After a year of stop-start openings, London's museums are welcoming visitors back in 2021 with an array of blockbuster exhibitions

time-read
4 Minuten  |
Britain 2021 Guide
HISTORIC NORFOLK
The Official Magazine Britain

HISTORIC NORFOLK

Spend time exploring this peaceful county, whose stately homes are a grand counterpoint to its unadorned rural landscapes

time-read
6 Minuten  |
Britain 2021 Guide
1066 COUNTRY
The Official Magazine Britain

1066 COUNTRY

England’s sunny south coast has a rich heritage, harbouring ancient castles and evocative landscapes that tell the story of the Battle of Hastings and beyond

time-read
7 Minuten  |
Britain 2021 Guide